1. Field of the invention
The present invention relates to a coin acceptor for use in coin operated vending machines, game machines or other similar equipment and, in particular to an electronic coin acceptor adapted for discriminating a genuine coin or coins of a particular denomination from spurious coins or slugs by means of a sensor coil.
In general, such an electronic coin acceptor comprises a coin passage adapted for passing a coin having particular dimensions, at least one sensor arranged at one or both of the opposite sides of the coin passage for interacting with a coin travelling in the coin passage, an oscillating circuit connected to the sensor for providing information signals in response to the dimensions and material of the coin, a coin discriminating circuit for determining whether the information signals are indicative of an acceptable coin and providing a gate actuating signal, a coin acceptance chute, a coin rejection chute, a gate arranged at an inlet of the coin accepting chute, and an electromagnetic solenoid for actuating the gate. 2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, such electronic coin acceptors have been constructed to arrange the above mentioned components within a housing or outer frame so as to be adapted for a particular kind of coin to be accepted or for installation in a particular type of coin operated vending machines. Therefore, it has been required that coin acceptors of various constructions be manufactured and as a result the efficiency in manufacturing is low and the cost is high.